The Eleventh House

Traditionally, the 11th house is the house of friends, hopes and wishes, goals and ideals. It is where we seek to join together with like-minded others. Here we meet those with whom we associate while cooperating towards a common goal or cause. It is the ideals that bind us when we create together as a group. “Whoever believes in astrology (personal growth, animal rights, save the Redwoods, etc.) is a friend.” Those whose hopes and wishes for the world are like ours, even though we do not belong to a specific group, or even live in the same century, are our 11th house relationships.

Networks of people with similar concerns and interests are in this category: clubs, societies, fraternal organizations and cultural institutions of all sorts. For many people, church activities fall in the 11th (social club) rather than the 9th (belief systems). Our Tuesday night ‘bridge bunch’ as well as the political party of our choice are places where we can function in creative collaboration with others.

As the second house from the 10th of career and profession, the 11th house represents the result of what we accomplished in the 10th. It is the income and wealth derived from the profession or social status. Very wealthy people often have important, benefic planets in this house. In keeping with the association of the 11th and the sign Aquarius, it is the house of philanthropy, of giving back our “boon” to the world.

The peer group and its activities occur here. It is a very important place to most teenagers. Correct standards for codes of dress, behavior, etc. are a concern, whether it be the teenager’s green hair and baggy shorts or the society matron’s opera gown and jewels. The 11th house peers will dictate what is “in” or “out,” and we need to know so we may conform to, or deviate from, the collective, peer group standards.

Our intimate relationships are associated with the 4th, 5th and 8th houses. Eleventh house associates are friends with whom we have relationships that are cooler and more objective. With these people, there is sympathy, understanding and good feeling -fellowship. With little or no emotional involvement, there is less ego and co-dependency. Our social circle is a network of unrelated individuals whom we encounter beyond the level of our inward struggles and the security and entanglement issues of family and marriage. It is often a blessed respite to spend time “hanging out” in the 11th house!

With the 5th house of love, romance, passion and risk, there is a lot of ego. Our lover, or child, better be and behave the way we want! Our 11th house friends can be just the way they are and we can easily tolerate their opinions, quirks and foibles. The 5th house is the “star” of the show, while the 11th house is the whole production company with all the individual artists and technicians contributing their creative talents to the group, thus making the artistic performance possible. That is synergy; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The 11th house is where we experience belonging and being loved. The 5th house is where and how we give love. From the 11th, we see how we receive love, and the feeling of being loved by others. It shows the characteristic qualities of attitude and behavior that we tend to interpret or misinterpret as loving. If poorly aspected planets such as Mars or Saturn tenant the l11th, our ideas of loving behavior may be dysfunctional. Anger, cruelty, harshness and rigidity may ‘feel’ like love.

The different signs on the 11th house cusp give a general indication about what an individual may consider “loving.” Self-assertive openness is loving to Aries; comfort and sensuality does it for Taurus; talking and listening is love for Gemini. A sentimental card, a box of chocolates, being introduced to his family lets Cancer know you care. Leo believes you love him if you are having a lot of fun together. Virgo feels loved when you help her clean her garage and take her car in for service. Being fair, being nice and looking good does the trick for Libra; get intense and take a chance with Scorpio and he’ll think you are hot for him. Appreciate the wisdom of Sagittarius and let her teach you how to show your loving feelings. Be clear, punctual and above all, show respect to make Capricorn feel cared for; Aquarius knows you love her when you give her space, freedom and delight her with surprise encounters. A little candlelight, music and a really good bottle (or two) of wine will make Pisces feel cherished.

When we give others what they can receive, in ways they can accept, we make them feel loved by being demonstrative in accordance with their charts (their house cusps as well as their Moon signs).

About the author:

Eleanor Buckwalter has studied, practiced and taught astrology in Los Altos, CA for more than twenty-five years, including three years with the late Richard Idemon, a psychological astrologer. Her primary astrological focus of interest is parent-child relationships and family dynamics.